Film pressure device for cartridge

ABSTRACT

A film pressure device for use in a cineprojector or camera having an insertable film cartridge. When the cartridge is inserted for projection or photographing, a gate plate forces a pressure plate against a bias spring so that the film is tightly pressed against the pressure plate. When the cartridge is displaced for rewinding, the pressure plate has projections which abut a wall of the cartridge so that the film can travel freely adjacent the pressure plate.

United States Patent Kakiuchi et al. Feb. 15, 1972 54 FILM PRESSURE DEVICE FOR 2,149,218 2/1939 Heinisch et a1. ..352/230 2,431,681 12/1947 Barstow ..352/229 CARTRIDGE 2,526,647 10/1950 Foster et al. .....352/224 X [72] Inventors: Tokusaburo Kakiuchi; Hideaki Aklyama, 2,903,953 9/1959 Meixner ..352/221 X both of Tokyo, Japan 3,240,550 3/1966 Mitchell et al ..352/227 X Assisnee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ricoh, Otwku, Tokyo, 3,250,586 5/1966 Wmkler ..352/221 X Japan Primary Examiner-Louis R. Prince I 2 Filed; J l 15, 19 9' Assistant ExaminerJoseph W. Roskos Attorney-Burgess, Ryan and Hicks [21] App1.No.: 841,748

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 7 ABSTR ACT July 18, 1968 Japan ..43/50780 A film pressure device for use in a cinepl-ojector or camera having an insertable film cartridge. When the cartridge is in- [52] US. CL... ..352/227, 352/230 serted for projection or photographing, a gate plate forces a [51] Int, Cl. ..G03b l/48 pressure plate against a bias spring so that the film is tightly [58] dd of Search ..352/22l231, 72, pressed against the Pressure Plate w the cartridge is 352/78 placed for rewinding, the pressure plate has projections which abut a wall of the cartridge so that the film can travel freely References Clmd adjacent the pressure plate.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,455,206 11/1948 Wienke ..352/227 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures FILM PRESSURE DEVICE FOR CARTRIDGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a film pressure device for film cartridge and more particularly to a film pressure device of the type permitting the free and smooth travel of the film especially when the film in the cartridge is rewound without applying the pressure so as to hold the film firmly against the pressure plate.

The film must be rewound after projection or photographing in case of a cartridge having two shafts (that is a cartridge which uses no endless film) for cartridge type cineprojectors or cameras. Generally, this rewinding is made at a higher speed in order to save time so that undesired resistance is exerted to the film when it is pressed against a stationary member such as a pressure plate or when it is traveled through a passage having a space substantially equal to a thickness of the film, so that the film including its perforations may be easily susceptible to damage. In order to solve this problem, various attempts have been made, but none has been successful because they are complicated in construction.

In view of the above, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a film pressure device for cartridges simple in construction and reliable in operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a film pressure plate of a cartridge having two shafts and being adapted to be used in a cineprojector or camera extends across an aperture formed in the front wall of the cartridge, normally biased so as to be pressed against the front wall by means of springs and provided with four projections which contact with the stationary portions (the front wall) of the cartridge adjacent to the aperture, thereby providing between the pressure plate and the front wall of the cartridge a film passage having a sufficient space for permitting the free and smooth passage of film therethrough. When projected or photographed, the gate plate moves the pressure plate away from the front wall of the cartridge and presses the film against the pressure plate. Therefore, when projected or photographed, the flatness of the film passing through the gate is maintained with precision and the film may be pressed against the gate and pressure plates to such an extent that no undesired resistance is exerted to the film at a speed for projection or photographying. However, in case of rewinding of the film, it may be substantially released from both of the plates. I

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of one illustrative embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a segmental longitudinal sectional view illustrating a pressure plate device of a cartridge for a cartridge-type cineprojector, the film being rewound; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 except that the film is being projected.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A cartridge 1 illustrated in the accompanying drawing is such that it has two operative or insertion positions. That is, when the cartridge is inserted into a cineprojector to the full extent, the cartridge is placed in projection position. On the other hand, when the cartridge 1 is pulled back a little from the projection position, the cartridge 1 is placed in rewinding position. The front wall la of the cartridge 1 has an opening laa and a film pressure plate 2 is pressed against the inner surface of the front wall la across the opening laa by means of springs 3. The pressure plate 2 is provided with four projections 2a (only two projections 2a being shown). The two projections 2a arranged in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing are spaced apart from each other by a distance longer than the width of a film 4. The height of each projection 2a is made sufficiently higher than the thickness of the film 4. In the normal state and in case of rewinding, the pressure plate 2 is pressed against the inner surface of the front wall la by the springs 3, but the film 4 may pass freely in the space between the inner surface of the front wall 1a and the pressure plate 2.

When the cartridge 1 is inserted to its projection position, a gate or aperture plate 5 which is fixed to the projector and has a projection gate (not shown) is advanced into the cartridge 1 through the opening laa so that the gate plate 5 pushes back the pressure plate 2 through the film 4 to move away the projections 2a from the inner surface of the front wall la, whereby the film 4 is pressed against the gate plate 5 by the pressure plate 2. A movable reflecting mirror (not shown) is advanced into the space 6 behind the pressure plate 2 and the light from a light source is reflected by the mirror substantially by passes through the film 4, the gate aperture of the gate plate 5 and the projection lens (not shown) and is projected upon the screen (not shown).

From the foregoing, it is seen that upon insertion of the cartridge to a projection position, the film 4 is securely pressed against the gate plate 5 by the film pressure plate 2 so that the film being advanced may be correctly guided by the gate plate 5. Furthermore, the flatness of the film may be maintained with increased accuracy so that the image can be sharply focused upon the surface of the screen. When the cartridge 1 is retracted a little from the projection position to the rewinding position, the gate plate 5 is retracted from the cartridge 1 through the opening laa so that the pressure plate 2 may be advanced. by the springs 3 and the projections 2a contact with the inner surface of the front wall la, thereby providing the relatively wide space or passage for the film therebetween. In this state, the film 4 may be rewound with less resistance so that the film including its perforations and sound track will not be damaged. Upon completion of rewinding, the cartridge 1 may be pulled out of the cineprojector or inserted again to the projection position.

So far the cartridge 1 has been described as being moved relative to the gate plate 5 which is securely fixed to the projector and is advanced into the cartridge so as to engage with the pressure plate 2, thereby securely guiding the film therebetween. But it will be understood that the same effect may be attained by the arrangement in which the gate plate 5 is moved relative to the cartridge 1 or both of the gate plate 5 and the cartridge 1 are moved so as to disengage from each other. It is also understood that the number of projections 2a of the pressure plate 2 is not limited to four as described above, but as many projections as desired may be provided. Furthermore, the sizes and configurations of the projections may be determined suitably as needs demand. The positions of the pressure plate may be held in the state as shown in FIG. 1 only when the film is rewound and it may be arranged so that the pressure plate is normally pressed slightly by lighttight means or the like. It is to be understood that the present invention may be applied to a cartridge for cinecameras in the similar manner as described above.

As the modification of the projections 2a, a pair of or a plurality of long rail-shaped projections may be provided.

We claim:

1. A pressure device for a film in a cartridge movable between a projection position and a rewind position and having a front wall with an opening therein and insertable in a cineprojector or camera having a gate plate fixed within said camera, comprising a pressure plate resiliently mounted in said cartridge, said pressure plate having at least four projections formed thereon, said projections spaced apart by a distance greater than the width of the film and having a height greater than the thickness of the film to allow the film to pass freely between said pressure plate and said front wall;

said pressure plate having its projections abut said front wall when said cartridge is displaced in the rewind position so that said gate plate is absent from said opening, the distance between said pressure plate and said inner wall being substantially less than said predetermined distance and being substantially equal to the height of said projections to allow the free passage of the film. 

1. A pressure device for a film in a cartridge movable between a projection position and a rewind position and having a front wall with an opening therein and insertable in a cineprojector or camera having a gate plate fixed within said camera, comprising a pressure plate resiliently mounted in said cartridge, said pressure plate having at least four projections formed thereon, said projections spaced apart by a distance greater than the width of the film and having a height greater than the thickness of the film to allow the film to pass freely between said pressure plate and said front wall; a spring mounted within said cartridge to abut said pressure plate for biasing said pressure plate toward said front wall; said pressure plate displaced within said cartridge in projection position by pressing abutment thereagainst through said film by said gate plate passing through said opening between said projections, said pressure plate in said projection position spaced a predetermined distance from said front wall; and said pressure plate having its projections abut said front wall when said cartridge is displaced in the rewind position so that said gate plate is absent from said opening, the distance between said pressure plate and said inner wall being substantially less than said predetermined distance and being substantially equal to the height of said projections to allow the free passage of the film. 